The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-14
SUBJECTS OF POPULAR COMMENT.
Some Points About Irving as "Mephis-
topheles."


New YORK, Nov. 12.-Two theatrical
events engross attention. One is Potter, the
other is Irving. Mrs. Potter's Juror is
social, Mr.. Irving's is artistic Both have
met with a measure of public disappoint-
ment from entirely different causes Mrs.
Potter is a charming woman, intelligent re-
fined and a social pet. There is only one
obstacle to her success; she cannot act She
can only recite.
Mr. Irving is a master of stage business:
a man with lofty ideal, deep personal
pride in his profession and a strong in
dividuality, but he cannot play ''Mephis-
tophelesn and he opened here in Faust
Discounting all the merit Of stage work
and certainly Faust was never mounted
as he has mounted 1.-THE fact remains that
his "Mephisto" disappointed his American
audience. 1t just happened. to be inhuman
where it should have been superhuman. 1t
turned out to be mincing where it should
have been mastery. 1t gave banter instead
Of cynicism. 1t stood on its toes and
pranced where it should have awed with the
awful mystery of evil.
But the spectators were fascinated with
the diahlerie of the surroundings Scene
was heaped upon scene; picture melted into
picture. Phantasmal lights played over it
from beginning to end, and Internal music
issued from subteTanean depths continu-
ally The uncanny side of it was made OBJ
vous. The intellectual side was vague.
In spite of this opening season of enter
tainment there is general feeling of social
uneasiness observable.
The great issues of life and action are
deeper and more operative than the cutter
tainments of life
While a select circle is asking itself if Mrs
Potter will make half million out of Van
ity Fair, the great public is asking with anx-
iety what will be the outcome in Chicago.
| hear this discussed in the hotels, in the
cafes in the parlors. If one were to ask me
what the general feeling of this community
is with regard to that matter, should have
to reply that so far as am able to gather it
from all classes, it is that anarchy and all
pertaining to it should be stamped out ruth
esSly
Society uttering its own safeguards in the
breath of the people who are fathers and
mothers or who have them-crieS 'away
with them"
Out of all the false sympathy and morbid
pity for dynamiters, do not hear anybody
stand up and say that one of the noblest,
| bravest, most heroic spectacles of the cen
fury was furnished by the squad of Chicago
police who, when their ranks were torn by
the exploding bomb, formed and marched
| over their dead companions to the defense
| of law and order. But | think there is a
| triumph in all mems hearts, from Penobscot
| to Pensacola.
1t is q curious commentary on the condi-
| ton of society to hear men in dress coats at
the Metropolitan Opera House, in the lapses
of Wagner's music, and at the Star Theatre,
between the acts Of Faust" discussing the
situation in Chicago. But that is what you
encounter There is everywhere in this
community a deep-seated feeling that the
issue is one between fiendish violence and
civic cowardice, and people are beginning
to ask what protection have we if law fails
u.s.
Twas standing in the Hoffman House on
the night of the election. The returns,
after one Of the hottest and most vitupera-
tive local campaigns l have ever seen, were
coming in. l heard one man say: What's
public sentiment got to do with law?"
And another answered Immediately:
Nothing, except that it makes law as we'll
| as enforces it."
They were talking about Chicago.
The Brooklyn Internal machine, which
up TO this time remains a mystery, recalls
the story which heard in one of the clubs
that Jay Gould had been frightened out of
the country by threatening letters. don't
take much stock in this story, but do hap
pen to know that most of the wealthy and
conspicuous men in New York are subject
! to this annoyance.
One of the best known and liberal of our
millionaires showed me a letter that he re-
! ceived about week ago 1t was anony-
nous, but its threatening tones were curl
Gus. "You are none of you safe,n it said,
from our tools We walk as a thief in the
! night, but we are guided by vengeance
against the men who are grinding us into
! the EARTH
MY sin, said the recipient of this letter,
sis that / am wealthy; and the worst of it
is that | am, to a certain extent, in danger
of being the victim of some monomaniacal
rufflan, whose life is worthless to the COM
munity, but whose punishment would raise
a howl of sickening sentiment"
NYM CRINKLE.